Wringer



0 h 1940- w. L. KAUFFMAN, 20 2,215,197

WRINGER Filed July 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r- /44 2 4 M 3&12/4

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 1, 1940' UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE wamenn Walter L. Kauflman, II, Erie, Pa., assignor to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 11,1932, Serial No. 621,921 12 Claims. 101.68-263) Power wringers are usually provided with safety releases by means of which the pressure on the rolls may be immediately released when the operator is caught in the rolls, or the clothes W are carried around the rolls. The present invention is designed to improve safety release devices and to that end provides a trip bar across the wrlnger which may be readily operated to eflect the release. The present invention contemplates also a very simple mechanism in which the movement of the bars is very directly communicated to the release mechanism so that a very sensitive release may be accomplished. The invention also involves the simplification of*the mechanism.

Features and details. of the invention will appear from the specification and claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the wringer, partly in section, showing the invention.

Fig. 2 a view of an end of a wringer showing a modification.

Fig. 3 a central section of one end of the wringer showing the release mechanismon the line 33 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 4 a perspective view of catch plates forming a part ofv the releasing mechanism.

Fig. 5 an end view of the top of the wringer showing a part in section of the modification shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 a section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 an end view of the wringer shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 an elevation, partly in section of a modification.

Flg. 9 a section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 10.

Figs. 10 and 11 end views of the upper part of the wringer.

l marks the base of the wringer frame, 2 the side stiles, 3 and l the wringer rolls, 5 and 6 the shafts of the rolls, and I and 8 bearings oi. the rolls. The bearings are mounted as usual in the stiles. A top bar 9 is of channel form with closed ends which telescope over the upper ends of the stiles. A spring ll! provides pressure means for the rolls, the ends of the spring resting on the upper bearings 8 and the center of the spring. being subjected to the action of an adjusting screw ll.

Catch plates I2 are arranged at each side of the upper ends of the top stiles. The catch plates at the opposite sides are united by a cross plate IS. The catch plates have pivot openings [4 and lips l5 struck up from the side stiles extending through these openings forming a pivotal connection for the catch plates.

A release lever i6 is arranged over theend of the top stile. It has downwardly extending flanges I! at each side of the top bar. An inturned lip I 8 is arranged along the lower edges of the flanges l1 and this lip is provided with a pivot extension it which extends through pivot openings 2|] in the side walls of the top bar. The catch plates I2 have hooks 2| which lock on the lips I8 to hold the top bar in normal position and thus sustain the pressure of the spring. A spring 22 is arranged between the release lever l6 and the top plate and tends to hold the release lever in position to retain the hooks 2i. Shoulders 24 are arranged on the locking plates and engage the outer ends of the lips l8 when the release lever is in normal position. Thus the accidental release of the catch plates is avoided, the catch plates being locked in position by the shoulders 24 until the outer end of the lever is raised.

Trip levers 25 are arranged at each end of the wringer frame and have the inwardly projecting pivot plates 26 on which are arranged pivot extensions 2]. These pivot extensions project through openings 28 in the ends of the cross bar. The trip levers are bent inwardly at 29. Trip rods 30 connect the trip levers at the front and rear of the wringer, these rods being preferably adjacent to the top bar so that they may be readily engaged and operated by the operator.

In operation when it is desired to release the pressure on the rolls, either trip rod 30 is depressed, or raised. The trip levers 25 rocking on the pivot extensions 21 lift either the front, or rear ends of the trip levers and these extend under the lips 3| at the outer ends of the release levers and raise the outer ends of the release levers freeing the lips I8 from the shoulders 2-4 inclining the lips so that the hooks 20 slide off the lips and thus release the top bar and release the tension on the spring. It will be noted that either an up, or down movement of the trip bars accomplishes this purpose, that the action is direct, and accomplished by the lever action of the trip levers. It will be noted also that the trip bars are mounted on the top bar so that as the top bar is released, the operators hand tends to dampen the upward movement of the top bar. It also simplifies the structure and assembly of the parts. If desired, but one end of the top bar may be released, permitting the top bar to hinge on the opposite end. The modification shown in Figs. 2 and 5 accomplishes this purpose. An opening 32 is arranged in the outer wall of the side stile. A screw 38 extends through this opening and against the end of the top bar, the shank of the screw extending through the opening 34 in the top bar and extending through a spacer sleeve 35. The screw is secured by a nut 36 on the outer end. A cross lever 31 extends from front to rear of the wringer and furnishes the support for the trip bars at the end of the wringer on which the top bar is hinged.

It will be. noted that the release levers I6 are provided with a short arm which engages the catch levers and that the trip bars operate on the long arms of the release levers. This makes a very sensitive release making, in effect, a relay structure reducing the effort to start it in motion as compared with a direct connection.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 to 11 the operating parts of the wringer are similar to that shown in Fig; 1 except that a latch mechanism is provided only at one end of the wringer frame and the operating bars and their operation upon the release lever I6 is modified. Further the manner of securing one end of the 'top bar is modified. A rocker 38 is pivotally mounted on the upper part of one of the side stiles. It is directly pivoted on a spacing bushing 39 mounted on a screw 40, the spacer being clamped by a nut ll acting on a washer Ma. The rocker has a trip extension 42 which projects outwardly beyond the latch plates I2 and is provided with an inturned lip 43 which is directly under the end of the release lever IS. The trip bars, or operating bars 44 are secured to the rocker 38 and extend across the upper part of the wringer and in front thereof. Preferably these rods extend up sufliciently so that the operator can thrust against them with the open hand pushing the rods toward the top bar. The opposite ends of the rods are secured in rocker arms 45 secured on a pivot 46, the details of the pivot being similar to those securing the rocker 38.

In the operation of the device when the operator swings in either trip bar 44, this swings the front, or rear edge of the rocker plate 42 toward the center and this edge moves on an arc with the pivot of the rocker 38 as a center, thus lifting the end of the release lever l6 and this lifting of the lever lifts the lip l8 out of engagement with .the shoulder 24 and permits the latch plate to slide off the lip l8 and release the top bar. The opposite end of the top bar has a lip 41 which forms a shoulder 48. A similar lip 49 is struck up in the stile, this lip forming a shoulder engaging the shoulder 48. Thus the top bar is locked against upward movement until the latch end of the top bar is released, the latch end then swinging upwardly on the shoulders as a hinge and this is followed by the disengagement of the shoulders making a full release of the pressure on the rolls.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar, and a safety release device comprising a latch connection between the top bar and frame, a trip bar extending parallel to and along the front of the wringer, trip arms on which the bar is mounted having a pivot axis parallel with the rolls; the combination with the latch and trip bar of means responsive to initial pressures in a vertical plane on the trip bar for releasing the latch.

2. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar, and a latch-securing the top bar on the frame; the combination with the top bar and latch of a trip bar extending parallel to and'along the front of the frame carried by the top bar; and means actuated by the trip bar releasing the latch.

3. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar, and a latch securing the top bar on the frame; the combination with the top bar and latch of trip bars carried by the top bar and extending parallel to and along the wringer frame; and means actuated by the trip bars for releasing the latch.

4. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar, and a safety release comprising latches mounted on the top bar securing both ends of the top bar; the combination with the top bar and latches of a trip bar carried by the top bar extending parallel to and along the frame directly actuating said latches through the thrust of the trip bar.

5. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, pressure means for the rolls, and a top bar; the combination with the frame and top bar of a trip lever extending from the front to the rear of the wringer and having a pivot extension pivotally connected with the top bar and having an axis parallel with the rolls; trip bars extending from the trip lever; and a catch mechanism releasably securing the top bar on the frame actuated by the rocking of the trip lever in either direction.

6. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar of channel form having a closed end, and a catch mechanism normally locking the top bar on the frame; the combination with the top bar and catch mechanism of a trip lever extending from front to rear of the wringer having a pivot extension extending from the lever into the end of the top bar; and means actuated by the rocking of the trip lever releasin: the catch mechanism.

7. In a wringer having a wringer frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar mounted on the frame, and a pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the top bar; the combination with the top bar and frame of catch plates mounted on the frame; a releasing lever mounted on the top bar and engaging the catch plates; a trip lever extending from the front to the rear of the wringer and pivotally mounted on the top bar and engaging as it is rocked the release lever for releasing the catch; and trip bars actuating the trip lever extending parallel and along the frame for actuating the trip lever.

8. In a wringer having a frame comprising a top bar, rolls mounted in the frame, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar; the combination with the frame and top bar of means securing and releasing the top bar of the wringer comprising an intermediate pivoted release lever having a short arm sustaining the pressure of the top bar and a long arm and a trip device swinging on an axis extending longitudinally of the wringer operating on the long arm of the lever to release the top bar.

9. A wringer mechanism having a supporting frame, wringer rolls, pressure sustaining means therefor including a removable transverse member, and means associated with the supporting frame for holding the transverse member in pressure sustaining position when said holding means is retained in holding position by movable means associated with the transverse member; the comhinatlonwith the frame, removable transverse inemher and holding means of manually operahle means for actuating the said movable retainina means, the manually operable means including one or two hand rails, the hand rails comprising rail and lever portions disposed approximately parallel with the wringer rolls and pivotally supported upon the transverse member.

ill. in a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar; and a latch securing the top bar on the frame; the comhlnation with the top bar and latch of a trip bar extending parallel to and along the front of the frame carried by the top bar; and means directly actuated by the thrust of the trip bar releasing the latch.

ii. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar; and a latch securing the top bar on the frame; the combination with the top bar and latch of trip bars carried by the top bar and extending parallel to and along the wringer frame; and means actuated by the thrust of the trip bars for releasing the latch.

12. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the top bar, and holding means releasably securing the top bar on the frame; the combination with the top bar and holding means of a trip har extending parallel to and along the front of the frame carried by the top bar; and means directly actuated by the thrust of the trip bar releasing the holding means.

WALTER l3. KAUFFMAN, II. 

